Chapter 202: Old Friends Meet (I)

Chapter 202: Old Friends Meet (I)

A camel that starves to death was still greater than a horse. In times of danger and true chaos, few were the initial instigators that lived to claim the final victory. Anyone familiar with history knew full well that whoever dared stick their head up at this time would be the next to die. Not to mention, there were very few border factions who ultimately occupied the central region after insurrection. This had ever been the case since ancient times.

Various thoughts floated to the fore. Next to Li Hao, Yuan Shuo was also quiet.

“Don’t think too much,” the professor finally said when they were almost back to their tent. “It’s not a big deal. Even if a minor Silver Moon does declare itself a self-reliant nation, that will not cause too much of a ripple.

“As for Hou Xiaochen... He won’t dare do so and will not do so unless he has absolutely no other options left.”

Li Hao nodded, but looked at his teacher with further questions. “Teacher... why do you think he wants to do this? Or is even thinking of doing it?”

And shouldn’t the director keep these kinds of thoughts a secret? He’d talked about it so openly!

Yuan Shuo mused for a while before saying slowly, “He has no choice.”

“No choice?”

The professor nodded. “I ask you, if Hou Xiaochen listens to orders from above and leaves Silver Moon to answer the call of war in the central region, will the Night Watchers keep the province stable under Hao Lianchuan’s leadership? Can they withstand the three great organizations?”

Li Hao shook his head upon thinking it over. Most... probably not. Hao Lianchuan wasn’t that strong and he was a more honest and frank person. He didn’t possess sufficient prestige—a detail easily observed.

Everyone revered the mention of Hou Xiaochen, Wang Ming was no exception. But when it came to Hao Lianchuan, Wang Ming smiled. Not in a jeering fashion, but because he found the deputy director interesting. The people quite liked him, but a person like this did not impart peace of mind in critical moments.

“Silver Moon’s Night Watchers will lose their footing if Hou Xiaochen leaves," Yuan Shuo said calmly. “The province will be in trouble if control slips out of their fingers! Yet, he is defying orders if he doesn’t go! Once... twice... thrice... Time and time again. If you are a person of note of the central region, do you think someone like Hou Xiaochen should remain in his position?”

That was why the professor said he had no choice.

“Why isn’t upstairs taking this into account?” Li Hao frowned. “The province will be in danger if Director Hou leaves.”

“Taking this into account?” Yuan Shuo smirked. “The central region is engulfed by chaos and the borderlands have long been forsaken. Right now, they seek to concentrate power and pacify the central region—that is their first priority! When it comes to a small province on the border, they’ll give it up if they have to. The world is still theirs so long as the central region is still under dynastic control!”

Did the central region not know that the situation was very complicated?

They did!

But they still chose to proceed down their chosen course of action and issue a redeployment command again and again, wanting Hou Xiaochen to proceed to his new post in the central region. The director simply refused to leave. Otherwise, he should’ve left years ago.

“Then the battle tomorrow...”

“Of course we fight!” Yuan Shuo replied calmly. “Keep your eyes peeled tomorrow! I couldn’t employ my true strength before because we faced only supernaturals. Whether it was me crushing others or others crushing me, I couldn’t utilize my full potential as the opponent was not a martial master. Sun Yifei is a very good opponent!

“As for the ruins... they’re just an add-on! Defeating Sun Yifei is the real gain—one far beyond treasures. Treasures can be had anytime, but an opponent who is a good match is the impetus for life’s purpose.

“Therefore, don’t be concerned about exposing our strength. If we can kill them all, we’ll kill them. If we can’t, then we kill as many as we can. We can kill them all the same even if they’re on their guard!” The professor turned cocky again. “Little Hao, you should shine with extraordinary brilliance when the occasion calls for it! No one becomes a powerhouse from constantly keeping a low profile. I know your misgivings about revealing too much—that means danger increases as well.

“However, powerhouses emerge from danger! Hou Xiaochen keeps a low profile now, doesn’t he? Yet, he was a far cry from that back in his day. He was so prominent that he dared erupt in open hostilities against Ying Hongyue! It’s because of that that no one thinks little of him now.

“Qiao Feilong kept a low profile, didn’t he? He was so low key that he didn’t have time to flex his magnificence as a Solar before I killed him!”

The two he spoke of had entirely different endings. One kept his head down all the way to Solar and died before he could exhibit anything. The other was very conspicuous for a long time, stepping down after he was injured. He was so quiet after that everyone thought he was at the end of his rope, but his preeminence of yesteryear still existed. No one dared run afoul of him and those in charge had to send a Solar to keep an eye on him.

These were the results of two different choices.

Li Hao nodded without a word. Teacher and disciple soon returned to their tent; Liu Yan and the others were back. Everyone was extremely quiet. Liu Yan didn’t say anything, Liu Long didn’t say anything. The young man didn’t ask if they’d seen Hu Po tonight.

The Silver City delegation kept to themselves this night to give Yuan Shuo time to rest. He would answer the challenge tomorrow and his opponent was a late Solar from the central region. Although the group was fully confident in the professor, they were still secretly apprehensive. Solars were one level higher than Dominators, particularly late Solars!

......

At the same time, beneath the broken Rift Bridge.

Sun Yifei did not erect a tent to rest in. The sky was his blanket and the earth his bed. He leaned against a rock and looked up at the stars.

Resplendence twinkled overhead.

His three disciples made rounds of the surroundings, clearing away bugs and pests. In actuality, no snakes, rodents, or bugs dared approach the area. After an indeterminate period of time, the taciturn Sun Yifei suddenly broke the silence.

“Moxian, does Yuan Shuo’s disciple really have the strength of late Sunderer or half step Dominator?”

“Most likely.”

“A disciple of the Five Styles...” Sun Yifei thought it over. “You will take the field tomorrow! Bring your full strength to bear and see if you meet a worthy opponent. If he matches you, he will be very helpful for your progression to Dominator!

“If I fall tomorrow... Take your junior brother and sister back to the central region!”